Cynic, Carbon-Based Anatomy

U.S.A., 2011

Following up on the last post (that was a prog-metal one), we have the recently released EP from Cynic.
Highlights on this one: they dropped the growly vocals, focusing on Masvidal's trembly but melodious and emotional vocals with a more reduced but pleasing pitch-shift here and there. Amazing work from the three founding members, counting on Reinert's beautiful musicality on drums, delicious timbre from Malone on the bass, and Masvidal's great guitar work, sipping on jazz and whatnot.
Apart from the minor fact that a couple of the songs are re-hashes from previous sideproject Æon Spoke, this is a delightful release.


Playlist:
1. Amidst The Coals
2. Carbon-Based Anatomy
3. Bija!
4. Box Up My Bones
5. Elves Beam Out
6. Hieroglyph

Link.

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Arch/Matheos, Sympathetic Resonance

U.S.A. 2011

IMO, an excellent release from Fates Warning founders, guitarist Jim Matheos and vocalist John Arch. Matheos' unmatched ability to balance excellent riffs with an unexuberant technicity along with Arch's great musical positioning and vocals harmonies, make this album reek of early FW releases – though with a better sonic production – and a very unsurprisingly cohesive one at that.
Expect nothing less than great tracks out of this record – fair share of repetitiveness included –, having in mind the personnel included: Matheos, Arch, Joey Vera and Bobby Jarzombek.


Playlist:
1. Neurotically Wired
2. Midnight Serenade
3. Stained Glass Sky
4. On The Fence
5. Any Given Day (Strangers Like Me)
6. Incense And Myrrh

Link.

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Katatonia, Night is the New Day

Sweden, 2009

"Night Is The New Day" is, in just about every way, a very good album. Highly melodic yet deceptively dissonant at times, each tune in this album will find its own place as you listen more and more. Absolutely one of the biggest metal releases of the year 2009.

Playlist:

1. Forsaker
2. The Longest Year
3. Idle Blood
4. Onward Into Battle
5. Liberation
6. The Promise Of Deceit
7. Nephilim
8. New Night
9. Inheritance
10. Day & Then The Shade
11. Departer

Link.

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The Gathering, Souvenirs

Netherlands, released in 2003.
Even though they're mostly associated to gothic metal, The Gathering's music has come a long way in terms of style and quality. Souvenirs can be best described as ambient, trip-hop and soft rock with amazing female vocals. This is one of my all time favourite albums.

Playlist:

1. these good people
2. even the spirits are afraid
3. broken glass
4. you learn about it
5. souvenirs
6. we just stopped breathing
7. monsters
8. golden grounds
9. jelena

Link.

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Katatonia, Last Fair Deal Gone Down

Sweden, 2001.
Katatonia originally played a mixture of death and doom metal. Last Fair Deal Gone Down is their fifth full-length album, and it reveals a proximity to alternative rock, despite still being influenced by doom metal.

1. dispossession
2. chrome
3. we must bury you
4. teargas
5. I transpire
6. tonight's music
7. clean today
8. the future of speech
9. passing bird
10. sweet nurse
11. don't tell a soul

Link.

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Borknagar, Origin

Norway, 2006.
Borknagar are best known for playing black metal, but this album, Origin, is entirely acoustic and folk. Possibly one of the prettiest albums I've heard.

Playlist:

1. earth imagery
2. grains
3. oceans rise
4. signs
5. white
6. cynosure
7. human nature
8. acclimation
9. the spirit of nature

Link.

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